Turnable t-member type molding fastener



Nov. 21, 1950 w. H. CHURCHILL TURNABLE T-MEMBER TYPE MOLDING FASTENER Filed Feb. 1, 1947 i grwmfow W/L mama/a4 W a cm.

Patented Nov. 21, 1950 TURNABLE T-MEMBER TYPE MOLDING FASTENER Wilmer H. Churchill, Saugus, Mass, assignor to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 1, 1947, Serial No. 725,911

3 Claims. (Cl. 2473) The present invention relates to molding fasteners such as are employed for securing a channel molding to an aperture support and particularly to molding fasteners of the turnable T- bolt type and aims generally to improve existing fasteners of that type.

Heretofore turnable T-bolt molding fasteners have included a T-head composed of a cold rolled steel plate head and. a high carbon steel spring member for providing the desired tension between the head and molding. Such construction had the disadvantage of being relatively heavy and expensive.

The present invention has for its primary aim and object to simplify, cheapen and reduce the weight of the T-bolt fastener.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved T-bolt fastener having a head made of a singlepiece of suitable material, for example, high carbon steel, which combines the functions of providing a strong supporting head as well as a tensionin means.

' Other aims and objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates from a consideration of the accompanyin drawings and annexed specification illustrating and describing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is an inside elevation of a molding strip with fasteners of the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the molding strip and fastener as taken on the line 2 -2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the fastener embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is an edge view of the fastener shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5' is a longitudinal sectional view through the fastener as taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the fastener as taken on line 66 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. '7 is a detail perspective view of the fastener.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral l designates a molding of suitable crosssectional shape which conveniently is of hollow channelled construction provided with inwardly directed spaced flanges 2 spaced laterally from the face 3 of the molding. The molding l is designed to be attached to a supporting part 4, apertured at 5 by means of a fastener of the present invention. The contour of the outer face of the molding may be irregular as shown, wherein the channels between the flanges 2 and adjoin- 2 7;, ing portions of the face 3 are of different depths.

As herein illustrated, the fastener of th present invention is of the T-bolt type having a threaded shank l0 provided with an enlarged head H at one end, a portion of the shank .between the headed end II and the threaded por-. tion l0 being squared or polygonal shaped to non-rotatably receive the head l5 of the fastener. I

The head [5 of the fastener is advantageouslyformed of a single piece of thin sheet metal, for example, carbon steel, which may be suitably, shaped and then hardened, as by heat-treating,-. to provide adequate strength combined with. lightness in weight.

The head l5 preferably comprises a body por tion l6 of suitable width to snugly fit in the chan-- nel of the molding, and may be of general elongated rectangular form having diagonally opp'o-- site rounded corners I! to facilitate rotatin the: head IS in the channel. The'head is preferably/- provided with a rectangular aperture 18 to re-- ceive the squared portion l2 of the shank, the! corners of which may be swaged or otherwise upset as at l9 over the adjoining portion of the. body IE to non-rotatably secure the head I 5 to the bolt.

The elongated rectangular body I6 of the head. I5 is advantageously made of very thin sheet; metal, for example, carbon steel, for lightness in weight. This body I6 may be reinforced transversely by outwardly pressed ribs 20 disposed longitudinally of the body and spaced from op posite sides of the bolt.

Tensioning means in the form of spring arms 2| are provided preferably on opposite sides of the body l6 and these arms 2| preferably extend from the body in opposite' 'directions, each arm 2| being joined to a lateral extension 22 beyond a rib 20 so that the spring arm is spaced from the rib 20 and free to move independently thereof, its free end extending toward a rounded body corner IT. The sprin arms 21 are curved downwardly to a plane spacedfromthebody l6 andhave upwardly turned ends for readly slidable bearing engagement with the inner wall of the molding face 3, and as shown in Fig. 6, and the arms 2| are ribbed or made transversely arcuate to impart added strength thereto. As will be noted in Fig. 2, each arm 2| bears against different sections of the face 3 even though it be of irregular shape, and places the head 15 under sufficient tension that it will grip the inner faces of the flanges 2 when turned to locked position. shown in Fig- 1.

The fastener is initially fitted into a channel molding I by initially disposing it in an oblique position as shown in light lines, Fig. 1, and sliding longitudinally in the channel to a desired position. The fastener is then frictionally 5 clamped in desired position by rotating the head about the axis of th e bolt H] as by, means of a spannernwrench engaged in holes (25; on. oppo-., site sides of th bolt and disposed on a center line of the body portion [0. Such rotation would; 10 be in a direction toward the rounded corner, ll, 1. e. in a clockwise direction, as illustrated in Fig 2. Rotation of the head within the channel of the molding is facilitated by ,the rounded corner, The end edge ll of the bodyliiiextends across; the extension 22 and serves as a stopto limit rotation of the head to a degree beyondthat at which the spring arms H are perpendicular to the flanges 2.

The body l6 of head :15 may be reinforced by formin b.- 2 6 {EDOY he edy, .-su round pa i -pert re he o iif ri i eing re b y in eplaneaof the e en 5. 2 ;722i v hus the; rib Zliand; extension 22; present molding, flangeebearingportio posed rai s l rse ve t the, head when the, arms, 2 t are, .disposed longiu l ly of the head .5 nd-me nete s mma meamenea in heir u rface =-0. themeld: mg.

It will p c a ed. y; er ki ed? in the art that the faste ner of-the present inven; io s p eeonem c l.:o p ianuia u e: m x eme i-lieht; n; ei hts tempe ed-7: wi h: i Trbblif SifiQfi S-zt Although I have illustrated one preferred ein; bodiment of the-invention,Idonotjntendto be edth rebr s the e a e fe he 'Il lI 9 best fined: n, h ppend dlaims-,1,

I claim 1- m n a tener omprisin lsu e -i engaging ha k,r e d n reneasin r ee u da i c t e nde erea iiidi pqs 9 3x19 u a t a l ncrtma Q a heax s of {said i id ad b in i. n eeapo strwt pe nd n u n 1 el n at d: n tea ike edw nr e t g aid h me nd? p ie idin e e i engaging portions adjacent opposite end a in a a 9tseated. qrii i a ir he su c o a mfldinesai bo yarm a; i t ess-th n e ietin e eeam e ee; anges, i-.- ol i sw ieh,-. i-is e ass mb es: ed; l h: r etere g h a: a r ns', te rally onnected: o; H d er Qt: sa and a relatively long slengerresilie nt. ex t tin m qenestedfiosaqie i .a e i iial ne eosedM at e:- e laqanl d e f. a 'sidy e aimed-1eng ge en ,-W thta third portionl oi; the in r 1er enga e; 15 ,said inold-f 4,. ing to tension said molding-engaging portions against said pair of spaced portions of the inner surface of the molding whereby the fastener is secured in position in the molding by tensioned engagement of the parts thereof with spaced portions of the interior surface of the molding.

2 A moldin gfastenercomprising, a supportengaging shank, a molding-engaging 'head secured adjacent one end thereof and disposed a plane substantially normal to the axis of saidshanlz, saidhead being of one-piece construction and including an elongated plate-like body connected to said shank and providing molding-engaging portions adjacent opposite endsmforengaging-a pair of spaced portions of the inner surfaceof a molding, said body having a width less than the distance between inturned flanges of a molding with which it is to beassembled and a length greater than this, a pair of resilient molding contacting arms con-- nected; to; oppositeside edges, of said-body;-adjacent the ends, thereof; said armsextending, toward; opposite end of said body and being, disposed at,; acut e angles to said; edges, for tensioned engagement; with spaced portionsof the, inner surface of said molding togtensionsaid molding-engaging; portions I against said a pairof spaced ortions of the inner-surface, of the molding whereby the fastener is secured in; 13051:. tion in the molding by tensioned -;engagement oi the parts thereof with spaced; portions of, the t o u f -w th? mold n i 3. A molding fastener comprising-gasupport ng m m en, IlQ in -en a e ea securedadjacentone 'endthereof and disposed in a plane generally normal to the axis. ofdsaid shank, said head. beingofone-piece construction and including. an elongated plateibodycon: nected; to said shank, lateral extensions, integ-g rally connected to, oppositelsideiedges of said bodyadjacent the ends thereof, andialpaiinof. resilient molding-contacting. arms connectedmo, said extensions,-v saidrarms extending towardoppositeends of said-body at acute, angles'to', the surface thereof in planes-substantially. parallel to said edges. 1

W MER H; CHURCHIL REFERENCES crren.

The following references (are Lof record inathe file-of-this patent:

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